


Kingdom Come

by Gallavantula



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, Fantasy, M/M, Older works, Porn, Supposed to have no plot, but it got away from me, myth, mythical creatures, royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-03 03:07:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1065021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallavantula/pseuds/Gallavantula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Demyx goes hunting one day, and encounters a creature that takes his life. Given the chance to live once more, he takes a Kelpie's Bargain for freedom. The price was far steeper than he had been led to believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kingdom Come

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt written as a gift for a dear friend. This is older than my recent works, but a valuable part of my writing chronology. Zemyx AU where myth beasties exist.   
> Enjoy

As a child born into the Royal family, Demyx grew up in a world pampered by all those he knew. He became a young, naive boy who expected all things to come to him with the snap of his fingers. His deep sea green eyes brought many maids to their knees and a many admirer of the Royal family to dote and squander him. As he grew older, he became more and more obsessed with keeping people's attention onto himself. Upon trial and error, Demyx found that he had a unique talent with an instrument from a distant land called the Sitar. Demyx trained and learned to master this instrument, and captured the hearts of hundreds within his kingdom.

This talent spread like spring seedlings across the land, and brought a stronger bounty of popularity upon their kingdom. The town and country known as Radiant Garden belonged completely to the Crescendo family, garnering the flowers and riches towards furthering their reputation of beauty. They say the golden colour of the fields and hay had imbued themselves into their masters, blessing each generation with golden hair beyond a story-teller's imagination. With this kind of greed about appearances and fame, the family of five prepared a grand evening for their eldest son's nineteenth birthday. The king Titanus and the queen Belfriya had attested that their son, as graceful and handsome as he was, had yet to chose a proper interest from their kingdom.

They decided that by hosting an enormous party in his honour that he may dance with a beautiful woman and chose her hand in marriage. They spent weeks in advance picking the garlands to line hedges, what colour the whole affair needed as a theme and which guests to invite from all over the continent. They worked long and hard with their vast amount of servants to pick which heiresses were best fitted for his bride. They studied musical tastes, personality quirks, likes and dislikes. They hoped that these lucky ladies would whisk their son onto the proper path of marriage and bring their kingdom a new leader that would keep them unified for his own children to inherit.

But it seemed that as the day grew at hand, Demyx felt more and more stressed. From his side of the coin, it felt like his parents were rushing him into adulthood, pushing him into a situation where he would no longer stay a part of the children of the Royal family. He felt that women were still a strange thing in his life, and he never once considered looking for a wife, much less a partner. Once married, he was eligible for the crown because the wife at his side was his commitment to his people.

He still cherished the childhood he had, the freedom of spending endless nights by candle-light, strumming his soul's rhythm onto his various instruments. He still relished the chance to be among the men of his life, and smile and wink at any woman from afar. This whole affair was starting to tie his heart into knots with anxiety. When the squire who helped him bathe informed him that he had three days time to his party, a chill struck his soul.

Three days left, and then he would be forced to choose a bride. He shuddered before he hefted his shoulders and rolled on his white blouse, flicking his wrists to allow the frilly cuffs to fall into place. His butler Sherbringer began tugging on the tails, tucking them into Demyx's pants before taking the small ties and fitting its size. Demyx inhaled, puffing his ribcage before baring his teeth at the strain as the ties were made. Then, the heavy chainmail was added with rougher handling, and then the final layer of a sleeveless tunic to finish the look.

"Do I have any appointments today, Sher?" Tilting his head to the side, Demyx tried to make eye contact with his companion, but the short elderly man was concentrated on making sure the chainmail was properly secured.

"None, Master."

"Excelent. Hail my brother Roxas for me, if you please." Dressing himself again, Sher made the last few adjustments and placed Demyx's royal belt around his waist. The fastener was snapped into place and the ten pounds felt heavy for a single moment before it balanced itself out. Bowing his white clouded head, Sherbringer held his wrinkled hands to his chest and slowly backed away, tilting his head over and over.

"Certainly, Sire." As Sherbringer left, Marianna entered his chambers with a basket of hair care, and curtsied. "Master." She then shushed the door shut, and trotted over to Demyx's set-up, installing her tools along the counter and angling the mirror accordingly.

"Ah! Marianna!" He opened his arms in greeting, smiling brilliantly with pure joy.

"Have you come to preen my hair today?"  
Marianna was a humble woman of about fifty years, head layered with peppered hair and creases in her face that made her look like she was always day dreaming. She had no family left after her son died during one of his travels and found comfort working for the royal family, caring for their children instead of the one she lost.

"Yes mister Demyx, I come do your hair. Sit now like good boy." She patted the stuffed seat, smooth fingers gripped tight to the adorned backing. Without another word he settled into the chair and strained his back. Keeping his shoulders level, he stared at his face in the mirror, identifying the young sea-water eyes he'd seen once in his childhood. The golden locks that fell about his face reminded him of lions, proud and strong. He hoped to live up to such an appearance as Marianna played with the locks, weighting the strands in her small hands before running her fingers through it.

Marianna then grabbed her white sheet and wrapped it carefully around his neck, then picked up her small looped blades, slid a metal bolt through the center and formed her tool of trade. As she trimmed his hair and created the look he always requested, Demyx was left alone to his thoughts once more. He did not want this marriage, this terribly forced arrangement with a sex he had never interacted with much, but he knew as prince it was his duty bound by his very existence. It wasn't long before someone knocked on the door, thankfully interrupting his reverie.

"Come in!" He chimed, trying to see the door through the mirror. As the oak creaked open on the rusted hinges, someone entered the room.

"Demyx! You called, brother?"

"Heeyy, Roxas! Good to see ya." Marianna reprimanded him as he tilted his head to see  
Roxas, causing Demyx to swivel his head back in place and flush a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry Mami."

Roxas, a young man of fifteen, appeared almost like an earthbound angel. His face was plump and slim, cheeks round and eyes wide. His eye's depths refracted the bluest water, and charmed many damsels to their knees. Fair flaxen blond hair fringed his face and arched up like a christened wave to the right, giving his face an even fairer appearance. It was as if a halo of light surrounded him at all times.

"So dear brother, what news do you have for me?" He queried, approaching Demyx's seat but keeping out of Mami's way as she used the blade to shave the hair behind Demyx's ears.

"I need some time of amusement. The coming party worries upon my nerves. Do you have any arrangements today?" Demyx's voice was almost pleading, worry and a smick of fear lacing his tone. Roxas nodded, crossing his arms over his tight gold embroidered tunic, allowing the special blue material to shimmer in the bright sunlight.

"I do not have any engagements other than to you, Demyx. What did you have in mind?"  
Looking downwards, Demyx acknowledged how his hands lay folded on his lap before looking at Roxas through the mirror again. "I don't know. Anything. I just need some time away from this castle for a while. Some time to us, without interruptions."

Roxas carefully thought, his brow creasing a little and making him look even younger than before. He concentrated as Demyx waited, watching Marianna snip away at his long bangs and layering them over his eyes. She then took a horse hair brush and dusted all remainders away before fetching her bottle of plant sap and rubbing them up in some of Demyx's hair. The sap allowed some of his hair to stand on end, giving them a weightless look. Demyx admired his hair in the mirror as Mami smiled with pride of her work.

"Master like, yes?"

"Yes Mami, it's perfect. Thank you!" Marianna then removed the sheet, allowing Demyx to sit up as she tidied her things, and soon left the room. Demyx then lounged his arm over Roxas' shoulder, leaning in to inhale the scent of orchids.

"I see my brother has accepted a gift? From who was it?" Roxas' only reaction was a faint dusting of blush over his cheek bones before he coughed, and looked Demyx in the eyes.

"The only excuse I can think of to get us out of the castle for a little while is a hunting trip. The market would hold too many witnesses and adorning fans, while a trip anywhere further would warrant our parent's involvement."  
Demyx gave a light hearted glare, telling Roxas that he knows that was a deliberate excuse to avoid the subject, but he'd relent. For now, anyway. "Hunting sounds like fun. A nice walk in the forest would definitely sooth my aching soul."  
Roxas made a cheeky face in response, knowing he temporarily got away with it before rushing to the door. "I'm getting ready now, then. Meet at the gates in an hour?"

"Half an hour if we hurry. I want out as soon as possible!" Feeling like he was twelve again, Demyx jogged into his more private section of the chamber and thrifted through his drawers, looking for his scattered hunting gear.

"Alright, brother! It's a race!" And with that, Roxas was gone like the wind, heels clicking loudly in the halls. Demyx hurried to locate his left armguard in his undergarment drawer, his right shin guard under his stuffed mattress, his right armguard underneath his copper tub, and the remainder of his armour in his cupboard. He ran to his door to pull the pulley system, alerting the servant's quarters that he required assistance. He began to hop on one foot as he fastened his armour over his thin pants, falling into his walls a few times as he rushed to his living room sector, ruffling around for his quiver.

He knew he'd regret not taking his equipment to the store house, but the last trip out had been so exhausting and had decided against taking the long walk around just to double back. When he had found it, Sher knocked and entered with a bowed head.

"Sire..."

"Oh good! I need your help right away. We're going hunting today!" Struggling with the strap on his other leg, Demyx almost knocked over a vase from some place called China or some other. Sherbringer only laughed as he shuffled over, guiding his rushing charge to the couch and seating him down. Deftly, he curdled the leather and snapped the metal clasps in place, finishing his arms and shoulders in record time.

"Be careful Young Master, you do not want to be so hasty during your hunt..."  
Checking himself over, Demyx grinned and kissed his servants cheek. "I've got a race to win! I'll be careful, promise! Thanks Sher!" Patting his head as well, Demyx rushed out his door with a silly wave, hurrying off down the hall to meet up with his brother. Sher watched as the violence on the door gave birth to strong currents of air, and witnessed the curtains about the door wobble and the long funnel of metal taking a severe tumble to the floor. 

"Ay, this does not bode well with me..." But there was no one to listen as he shuffled over and began dressing to the bent pole.  
*~*

The sun blew away the shadows like a gale, rays glistening on every surface possible as Demyx and Roxas rode their steeds down the small dusty path. Roxas' sandy mare was three years old, and eagerness showed in the flexing of its legs, impatient to rush into a gallop at any second. He deftly wrapped the reins onto his left armguard, twisting a knot over his fingers to keep his horse, Arigenal, in complete control. The pace the beast upheld was quick, but quiet, the hoof beats soft thumps in the rich soil.

Demyx, on his gentle blueberry peppered mare, followed Roxas' lead, the reins secured to his saddle and bow at the ready and arrow gleaming with deadly intent. Roxas and Demyx swivelled their heads, listening and waiting for prey to make itself known as they scanned the underbrush, patient. They knew the horses where already so noisy and any proper prey would definitely have heard them by now, but they were not on a serious hunt. Mariweather snuffed loudly, shaking her mane in agitation. She was becoming spooked.

"Roxas, I think a break is in order. Mariweather isn't reacting too well to the environment." Demyx murmured, allowing the strain of his bow to relax and fold natural into shape. Roxas tugged gently on his reins, and his trained horse came to a stop. Arigenal whined and huffed, tapping his hoof stubbornly into the ground. He did not like being still, and swayed his tail in rapid irritation.

"Do you think there's a river near-by?"  
At the mention of water, Demyx beamed with glee. The element was his favourite, a soothing smell, a strange and unique touch, a perfect specimen of nature. He honoured water as a mystical source of power, learning from the town folk its magical healing and protective properties.

"I recall one being to our west. Let's change course." Slipping his ornate bow across his shoulder, Demyx used his free hand to loosen the rein and guide his horse away from the sun, taking the lead west-ward. Roxas fell into line to his right, keeping the mantel on his energetic horse who clacked its teeth against the metal bar in its mouth, craving action and speed. Demyx loved Mariweather, as she was older and less temperamental, loving strolls and treats.

The journey for the most part was silent, birds calling for mates and mammals foraging for seeds and fruit on the forest floor. As close to the village as they were, the wildlife did not seem to adjust to the human presence, leaning in close and sniffing any human without instinctive fear. Soon, the slight sound of the gurgling stream could be picked out among the louder noises, and Demyx relaxed onto his ride. He inhaled; hoping to savour the scent of fresh clean water, but Roxas' perfume wafted into his nostrils and rekindled his interest.

"So, Roxas..." Demyx ventured, leering playfully over to his brother. Roxas immediately stiffened on his ride, knees tight against Arigenal's sides. Demyx only chuckled before leaning back with a relaxing aura. "I still wish to know who your secret admirer is..."

"I still do not feel safe sharing this topic, Demyx." Roxas murmured, a dusting of red falling upon his cheeks. His eyes danced over the parting of trees as the river came into view, and took notice to the unusual landscape. "Hey Demyx, was the river always this wide and violent?"

Demyx felt cheated of his answer again, but he huffed and glanced in the same general direction. Then, he took notice of what Roxas meant. The current in this normally calm lazy river was rapid and strong, tumbling over itself in a hurry to rush down the horizon. Whole trees were dragged along the bloated riverside, carving up smears in the now soggy grass. It was as if a heavy rain had passed and filled the stream full, leaving no passenger safe from its hungry maws of waves.

"I don't ever recall seeing it this bad. Has there been news of a terrible storm farther north?" Demyx mumbled, still in awe as a tree that had been leaning pleasantly over the bank lost all grip on its aged soil, and took a delayed tumble into the rapid currents that tore its thinnest branches to shreds on contact. The weeping willow looked even more sad as the long tangles became water-logged like the deepest reeds.

"I've heard of nothing. We will have to travel along it until we attain the bridge to cross. That is, if it is not usurped as well." Nodding, Demyx clicked his tongue and tugged on the reins, guiding his steed to follow the bank at a safe distance. Roxas repeated the motion, and soon they began their journey along. The rushing of the water seemed to seep into all other sounds, drowning all awareness of anything else. Silence hung heavy for a while, Demyx becoming more and more suspicious of his brother's desire for secrecy.

Has he fallen for a peasant? Demyx imagined that his parents would not be against Roxas if he decided to marry her. It wasn't as if he was close enough to the throne that his arrangement would really matter. But still, Demyx wondered if she was from a faraway place, as if he could never be with her, but still dreams of it. Perhaps the heartache is too much for him to share, but Demyx would feel terribly betrayed if that was the case. He shared all his secrets with his younger brother, why should he not be able to do the same? Soon after this mental affirmation, Demyx tried once more.

"Roxas, I know you said it twice, but I'm having trouble fighting the gnawing beast of curiosity. I beg you brother, please share this secret with me?" The water beside Roxas grew darker and darker still, as if the depth of the river had begun to plummet. The rapids foamed white and brown as the spat upon the shore, lapping hungrily at the grass. Roxas face also seemed to be shadowed in a darker expression, eyebrows pressing into a furrow before he took a sharp look towards Demyx. The animosity sent a jolt through him.

"I do not wish to tell you Demyx! It's shameful enough as it is and I can't bear for you think the sa-" Suddenly, a huge waking crash of water surged over Roxas' shrill voice. His expression shifted to a sort of blank mask, eyes open but fixed on nothing as a huge wave lifted and rose above them, casting them over with the shadow of a certain danger. Demyx made to scream, but the sudden movement was too quick.  
A ghastly knight in the darkest of armour flew forth from this wall of water, its soggy; reed covered body half water, half illusion. The horse's eyes glimmered like rubies, one a lost earring encased in gold, the other a dropped red ball. It screeched like a cracking rock, tongue made of an eel lolling in its crazed, gaping mouth. Time stood still as it came forth, its rider made of foam, crab, seaweed and pebbles. The strange creature looked like the things from nightmares. Its shape was too blurred to make much more sense of it before it rolled over Roxas, its terrifying body wrapping around Roxas as if he was sinking into water itself. He started to lift his hand, pleading for Demyx to come to his aid, but the beast had Roxas trapped within the armour, and no sooner appeared descended back into the turmoil from whence it came.

Arigenal hiccupped and shrieked, fighting and turning mad as it brushed near the river-line, before rearing up and taking to the other direction. Demyx's own mare reared up, and Mariweather cried out a multitude of times. Demyx turned his ride and leapt off, leaving her to flee after her companion. Panting with strain he shouldn't be feeling, Demyx's mind tried to make sense of the events that unfolded. It didn't make sense until he heard the water again, almost swirling in a circle as if it were a predator, waiting. Bubbles leapt to the surface, as Roxas' lungs had begun to empty. Demyx tried to remember what monsters lived near rivers, and then it dawned on him what had happened. A damn Kelpie had come and taken his brother. That confounded fae!

"Kelpie! Hey you!" Demyx shouted, leaping to the shore and staring into the swirling depths. For a few brief moments, the rising bubbles looked like stars on a dusk sky, the foam creating constellations and powdered lights. For a single moment, he was entranced before he spotted a shape, at the very bottom of the lake. There, tangled in reeds and plants like a prisoner, was Roxas.

"You damned Kelpie! I demand a trade!" He shrieked, batting his cold hands at the surface of the water, creating a commotion. The violence in the river receded completely, all at once. The gentleness startled Demyx and he fell back onto his haunches. He scurried, trying to get a look at his trapped brother, but the water began to rise up once more, like a sore would form a dome. Identifying anything from within this human sized dome was pointless, but Demyx got closer and tried.

"I-I demand a trade." He spoke softly now, not wanting this chance to slip so quickly. The dome then froze, water still before it sunk as fast as lighting, leaving two figures to stand without logic upon the surface of the water. There was Roxas, looking terrible already as his hair fell flat all around his face, obscuring his eyes. His chainmail glittered under the wet transparency of his cloths. Demyx fought the urge to leap at the creature, and his mind was aided as he looked to the figure that cradled his brother like a doll.

The beast wore armour from centuries past, the old spiked pauldrons arched like dragon scales. The chest piece was thin and curved like a worked jewel, the round oval shape held to the neck piece and pauldrons by thick workings of chain hoops. Despite the massive adorned workings, the creature seemed thin underneath it all. The arms too looked thin, and the large claws seemed purposeful for pulling any strangler under. It started to stroke Roxas' cheek with delicacy, before shifting his sickeningly long nail to an angle and dragging it down. A thin line of blood began to well from the trail, and Demyx grunted angrily, muscles tense and ready to leap if need be. But then this tension froze him as soon as the beast began to speak.

"Human, what do you have to offer..?" It demanded, the deep drone of its voice clearer than a crystal bell, yet echoed so menacingly that its charm became its power. It was distinctively male, and the tone was incredibly intelligent. He shifted Roxas in his arms, cradling him closer to observe his prey's visage. "I do enjoy prey with eyes as blue as this, but yours are more reminiscent of..." The beast pondered, twisting the strange helmet it wore to an angle that would have surely snapped a good soldier's neck. The mouth guard resembled the mandibles of an insect that prayed on its own. The word mantis popped into Demyx's head, and he felt even more frightened. "the sea."

"I will only make a contract if my brother is to be free, forever and always, from any more interference of your kind." He spat, witnessing his own spittle fly from his bared teeth. It surprised him as it flew and hit the river, yet made no ripple. The beast chuckled, the ram horns from its helmet dangling a small piece of a lily pad. The revelation of it distracted Demyx for a moment, and he missed the mutation of the beast's mask slipping away to nothing. The shock of the palest of skin sent a thrill down Demyx's spine, and he felt even more confused.

"I accept the terms. In return, you must take his place." The beast said, eyes colder than ice, purple like faint lavender locking onto his own. Paralyzed by his fear of losing his brother, of losing his life, he could only humbly nod in return. The Kelpie looked no older than Demyx himself, face round and slender with youth. It held no real expression as it watched its arm throw Roxas to shore, the body landing heavy with a metallic thump upon the river side. Demyx followed the motion, leaping to his brother's side and was intercepted. The beast curled its long weedy arms around his outstretched body and pulled him into the cold water with a cruel, dark chuckle.

"Roxas! Roxas, I love you..! Ro-!" Before Demyx could finish his word or even catch breath, his head was pulled under with a heavy rush. The waves of the river rippled rapidly over top, turning the world above into a landscape of lighter blue. Watching Roxas go under and his own experience were completely different sensations, and Demyx felt his body shirk from the cold. His strong legs seized up and he lost control of his arms as the river bore down full weight. His heart fluttered along his temples and lungs, burning pain lighting along his chest before it gave out. The kelpie was still laughing, the water rushing into each crevice of his body and pulled them deeper into the river, arms a cage around his captive. In horror, Demyx watched his vision tunnel around the fleeting bubbles of his breath and the world seep away from his frozen finger tips.  
Roxas, be safe.  
*~*

When Demyx was aware next, he knew that his world was still as damp as when he had come into it. Water rippled and flowed around his torso, pulling and pushing on his stiff and half-asleep legs. Dripping echoed along nearby walls, as well as the distinct passage of sloshing water. Before Demyx could asses much else, a strong arm pulled on his cuff, lifting him effortlessly from the water and began dragging him.

His feet dug into what felt like mud and gravel, catching and weighing him down. The strain was enough to course blood through his legs and feeling to return. Whoever was carrying him had no problem with the weight, and soon hefted him higher and onto something soft. Before Demyx could tell himself to play dead, his reflexes kicked in and supported his upper body as he landed roughly. A nasty chuckle echoed from behind and Demyx knew he was stuck.

"I see that the guppy has come to his senses." Demyx opened his eyes and blinked away the sheet of mist, sharpening his vision to identify a soggy wall, the paint left there peeling and running down. He quickly mapped the room and labelled this place an alcove to royalty that was struck by a terrible flood, before looking upon his captor. A gasp weaseled its way out of his throat as he allowed his eyes to rove the handsome young man before him.

The same eyes from the kelpie peered down upon him, but the armour and evil was without notice. The young man wore a deep purple tunic adorned with small glistening jewels and richly woven thread to recreate the effect of life upon his chest. His sleeves gleamed wetly, but the presence of silk was unmistakeable as it bloomed around his wrists. Water dripped heavily from his musky mauve hair, the colour darker as it blended into rivulets across his face. Those eyes spoke of age and wisdom as he bowed faintly, a weak show of respect.

"Welcome, to my dungeon. You will find that there are no exits, and that all doors lead to the water. You are a part of my domain now." He spoke with such control, his tone so alien and monotone to the human ear that Demyx could not help the crawling cold that crept along his whole body. What had truly happened on that riverbank was finally starting to sink in.

"Wh-what do you intend to do with me?" He asked, voice shaky, small and unsure. He noted that his body had curled in on himself, and he cursed his wasted training on remaining the image of toughness. The Kelpie chuckled, his revealed teeth whiter than the purest mother of pearl, before taking one step that should have been five, and stood over Demyx.

"Why, you are now my prize. I may do what I wish with you." The gleam in those eyes foretold of many pains and tortures suffered by predecessors, and Demyx bit on his tongue. The terror must have been obvious enough in his face as the Kelpie howled with pleasure, body taunt and muscles jumping from the sheer force of it. His silhouette looked inhuman for a mere moment before he hunched over like a weeping, crazed man, voice rushing in and out of his mouth as if a gale through bare trees. His expression was haunted by a humanity that he no longer had. With suddenness that explained nothing, the Kelpie was stoic and isolated once more, a bored expression replacing the manic apathy from before.

"This domain is yours to explore. I will not remove that freedom from you." Then before Demyx could manage to make himself speak, the Kelpie slid across the floor towards the adorned mouldy oak door that opened for him, and left. Not a ripple appeared from where he glided, and so nothing could pose evidence to his presence. The sheer act of the Kelpie not walking away gave Demyx enough of a scare to keep him planted to where he was.  
*~*

It wasn't for a few hours later that Demyx noticed that the Kelpie would not return for some time. He also realized with a start that ever since the incident, he has not felt the human pangs of hunger and fatigue. He felt the bile rise and the alarm settle into his jittery muscles, and did not calm until he recalled the oldest of tales his maid told to him as a child. In the worlds of the fae, humans did not feel the burdens of their mortality. It was with that reassurance that he pushed himself to take a look around.

As he planted his feet down, the seven inches of water sucked at his boots and made them even heavier than before. He observed that the bed, unlike anything else in this room, was perfectly dry. His wet shape and mud marked the soft sheets and Demyx felt regret even if it was not his own fault. But there was no point in grieving for some sheets, he scolded himself, and began to explore his current dwelling. He found that this room was a guest room, and with the pattern of the wall paper that now bubbled from ages of moisture, only one of many. The shelves held many, many tomes, all ruined by water. Demyx briefly noticed that the water rippling around the decayed wood was black with the ink.

He observed that the chandelier in the ceiling had fallen at the foot of the bed, managing to thoroughly mangle the wire bed frame. The three painting, one on each wall but the door's, all had some sort of horse creature with stripes of black and white, one running through a swamp, two through the plains, and three besting a large rock with their graceful legs. The water had mostly ruined the oil effects, and the hours of work upon these pieces were lost. Demyx spotted a small ornate 'Z' along the bottom of each painting, and wondered to who the artist was. A wonderfully ornate desk lay in tatters, as if someone had taken violence upon it in the deepest corner of the room. As Demyx approached, he noticed a small parchment of paper lying in a half submerged drawer. As he fished it out, the ink had begun to run down the page.

"Oh-oh no! The message!" Flicking his wrist, Demyx attempted to shake it from the water, but it only helped the water streak the ink further. Before much more damage could occur, Demyx angled his head to the side and read the parchment.

'it's stripped face  
bares much significance  
to both black and white'  
-Zebra

It took Demyx a few tries to realize that it was a poem about the strange beasts along the walls. He took his time trying to find a link, but he couldn't decipher it alone. Tucking the note into his shirt, Demyx took the chance and pushed the oak door aside. The wood bent like cooked pasta, groaning as chunks fell off and splattered wetly into the water. Looking around, Demyx noted that it was a very dim hallway that resembled his home's familiar court way. Looking around, he noticed that some patches of water glimmered against the walls, creating mystic rings that bobbed and sagged in rhythm with the ripples against his shins.

Taking his time, Demyx looked at the poor abused painting on each side and feeling in the back of his mind a prickling all the while. He felt like he was missing something painfully obvious, and no amount of observation would cure it. Each painting was as detailed as the last, some scuffed with minor damage due to water. One depicted an eclipse, lulling the ocean with the absence of colour. Another depicted a bald eagle, fluttering above the tree line. Whatever had been at the top of the easel had bled down, ruining the glory of the bird's white feathers. A third depicted an enormous giant with grey skin, wrinkling its enormous round feet and the long appendage of a nose.

Before much more musing could be done, a clanging sound of flint could be heard further down the hall. Demyx slowly made his way through, ignoring the nagging of the paintings for the time being in favour of the new source of curiosity. Soon, it was nearing a cavernous room, in which thousands of candles lined the walls. Upon entry, vertigo struck and Demyx wobbled on his feet. The book shelves and walls, all perfectly unaffected by the cascade of water, rose higher and higher until it was darkened and black, as if peered from inside a well. At every few rows of books there was a lit candle that held onto a purple flame. The small blots seemed impossibly strange as the extended past the odd ring of darkness, and peppered it like stars would the night sky.

Scattered around the room were flattened rocks, all forming a spiral towards the center platform. Some formations made enormous gaps in the floor that allowed the waterfall to sink into and whistle, drained to somewhere unknown. Books left mindlessly on the floor had turned to mush ages ago, losing the right to be labelled books at all. But in some locations would rest a table staked three feet high with books, sheltered by a candle that somehow formed a dome of protection around them.

Water dropped onto the dome and flowed around it, as it would any umbrella.  
In the center of the room was a terribly ornate chair, fit for a king. And seated upon the red velvet cushion was the Kelpie himself, curled elegantly with a large, black tome. The purple flames licked and flicked at the lion's heads, making the arms of the chair look more threatening and alive than they should have. Demyx questioned his judgement when one of the faces twitched its cheek, eye squinting in the strange dimness. Demyx began to shuffle towards the chair, noting many crosses upon the buttons and patterns. Before he could convince himself to speak, the Kelpie looked up from his reading and smiled.

"So the carp finally came to play? The sea bass were getting restless I'll have you know." His speech was meant to be jovial, but the tone he implemented left it dull and broken. One could believe that he'd forgotten how to use emotion. Demyx shook his head, ignoring the Kelpie's tongue lashing and stared him straight in the eyes.  
"What do you want from me?" Demyx almost whispered, unwilling to shatter the delicate illusion around them.

"Why, I want your humanity." The Kelpie said without a hint of influence. It was like listening to a rock try and speak. "I want what I have lost." The feeling made Demyx's skin jump into gooseflesh, and the fine hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end. The tales say that these river feeders usually ingest their prey without hesitation. Why was he alive? He had to know.

"Then why not take it? Why not kill me?" Demyx rebuked, poking at his chest for emphasis.

"Because, it is not human to take. It is human to share." Before Demyx could respond in any manner, even flinch, the Kelpie was face to face, yet still posed as if he was seated. His cold, bony hands had wrapped around his chin in a vice grip, and Demyx's brain screamed crab skin.

"O-oh." He murmured dumbly, losing himself into those amethyst like eyes, the depths a murky ashen colour. He found his thoughts muddled up, losing tangency as those eyes grew larger and wider, encompassing everything Demyx could see before that same chilling invaded his skin. His mind scrambled, trying to place what it was until each sense came crashing into the other. Those eyes have disappeared. Where is he? What's against my face? Wait, not my face- My lips. He's kissing me.

The shock of cold dimmed a little, whither the Kelpie had warmed some or if Demyx adapted, he wasn't sure, but the flush in his checks and neck was certainly something new. Demyx had never kissed someone before, and he never imagined it was something you did before marriage. (Then again he knew that marriage entitled closeness, so perhaps he unconsciously associated kisses with marriage. He'd never figure that one out.) So he kind of stood there for a moment, lips still as the Kelpie breathed ever so softly through his nose like steam. The beast instead pulled back a small fraction, then leaned in again for a second kiss.

Then as soon as it had happened, the beast pulled away with his eyes closed. Demyx then noticed a blush on its face, and he couldn't help break a smile, inhaling the breath he realised he needed. He managed somehow to sway the beast. Not only sway him, but make him respond and come out of that ancient broken shell was another success. He felt his heart give some unbalanced thumps in his chest, the uneven rhythm punching into his ribcage as the Kelpie then opened his eyes very slowly. The look of life in those irises gave its colour new life, and the enriched light stopped Demyx from moving once more. He's beautiful...

"I see.." He muttered, opening his eyes fully and staring into Demyx's own. The grip on Demyx's chin was loosened, until that hand aimlessly trailed down his chest, and fell down into his tome. Demyx was baffled, and then very confused. He just kissed a guy. As much as he tried to make some sort of negative remark about it, his mind refused to bend in that direction. Instead, it went to say that kissing a guy would have been much better than a woman. They would be too dainty and sweet. But the Kelpie... his was hungry. It was powerful, and sweet, yet demanding too. These concepts entranced Demyx more and more until he felt for sure that his ears would be burning too. He was so shy and nervous suddenly, and he felt hugely confused. What's going on..?!

"That is what it means to be human." The Kelpie muttered, eyes slowly but surely dulling, the light slipping away again. He was stroking his finger over his lips, and his face remained dusted as if with shyness too. Then, his eyes cleared and he unfurled his legs, the strange gravity around him allowing for his rectifying of pose. He stood then, feet touching the surface of the water, but never disturbing it.

"Search for clues. There are six letters to my name. See if you can solve the mystery." He smirked then, teasing yet knowing, and he slid. His silhouette simply turned like a card, and as it came together he was paper thin, and gone.

"B-Bahh!" Demyx yelped, stumbling back from the strange act and splashed around like a lost puppy in the water before swallowing the gathered saliva under his tongue. He waited for something else to occur and stood up, trying to wipe the chilled water from his behind as his mind spun on replay. The kiss, was it a locking of the compromise between them? A challenge was issued, and his new 'friend' demanded action. Pulling out the paper in his pocket, Demyx looked over the crunched but drying poem. If the first letter is 'Z', then the hallway must hold the next clue. Hurriedly, Demyx rushed down the hall with a huge smile on his face.

By learning the name of a fae, you become their master. Your word of tongue becomes their command. And Demyx planned on abusing this knowledge for freedom.  
*~*

From What Demyx had attempted, he managed to count that five days had passed in this odd place. Along with these markers, a strange thing seemed to occur; the direction of the lighting would shift, as if the sun was arching over this castle without interruption. The walls had stone windows carved with such intricacy, yet it seemed that the light passed through them. Demyx had tried to push his hands passed them, hoping that this was mere illusion but his hands held fast to the chilled stone. He had also managed to solve five riddles around the castle, coming up with five letters to the Kelpie's name. 

From his guest room he held onto 'Z', from the hallway he gathered that all the subjects within the paintings started with the letter 'E', and found its corresponding parchment behind the fifth painting from the left. Upon investigation of the basement and its blizzard like terrain, he found the letter 'I' hidden within an icebox. On the third day, Demyx began exploring the upper floors and found that each door entered a new room, and he could not go back and enter the same room he had left. The maze kept him trapped for a whole day, before he began to notice the pattern, and discerned his fourth parchment from a desk with the letter 'N'. On the fourth day he entered discovered a large cathedral, in which the space was without any pews.

The panes of glass all discerned ancient creatures of lore, and not any apostles or lords to be seen. Upon looking up, Demyx gasped in awe as he witnessed stars and constellations drifting along the ceiling. He noted that the stars were made of jewels, drifting along a ghostly wire that bobbed it up and down. Any attempt at tracing the line to the ceiling was masked by the dense dark smoke that swirled with enthral grace. Finally, after a day's worth of investigation of the enormous open space, he found the last of his parchments with the letter 'O' beneath the pane depicting an ox, buried underneath a shifting tile. His sixth day he began to worry as he explored all the familiar spaces he had wandered upon before.

Demyx felt nervous that he had not eaten for such a large amount of time, and even more so that he felt no weakness or strain. Will perhaps his time spent here cripple his body in real time? It was not a good subject to be thinking about. So he wandered the rather small castle with an almost aimless gait, eyes looking up and down the enormous seventy feet tall walls. It wasn't long before he stumbled into the great room of the waterfall library, the familiar hiss of the gallons of tumbling water familiar. He studied the books, and recognized the black smoke from the cathedral mucking up the ceiling here as well. Perhaps it was a similar spell to create atmosphere in not-so-large rooms?

"Welcome, Guppy." The Kelpie spoke, shifting his sideways form on his royal chair. His feet dangled over the arm, crossed and hiding his face with his knees. The same large tome was on his lap, obscuring much from view. Demyx stiffened for a moment as he had not seen trace or sign of the Kelpie for the past five days, before shuffling forward through the thick water.

"I have found five letters. Z, E, I, N and O. Are there more to look for?" Demyx inquired, eyes dancing along details as he tried to distract himself from the current situation. The Kelpie was of much too much interest at present, and it worried Demyx all the more. Was he swayed by his magic? Would he hopelessly become his slave? His whole body shuddered in revulsion.

"Yes, there is only one." Whispered the Kelpie as he suddenly craddled his prey's face between cold, frigid hands. Demyx could only stiffen before his lips and warmth was stolen from him. The revulsion pounding in Demyx's heart transformed into something more inviting, as delirium took over his brain. There was nothing more pleasurable than this, he though, as he made the effort to return the kiss. Pleased, the Kelpie gave a small hum of appreciation before pulling Demyx up close, bodies melding together as steam erupted from under their feet.

The feeling of being up against another man, even if it were not human, was nothing like Demyx had ever imagined. He briefly recalled moments in which he had wrestled with his brother, young muscles taunt as they learned self-defence. But even the memory was no help in comparing the dizzying sensations that overtook him. Demyx allowed his hands to roam over the small back of his companion, feeling the heat of another being below his palms. His logical side fought to alert him that maybe something was wrong, that this act he was participating in was wrong. But even deeper still he knew that no woman could make him feel this way.

"K-Kelpie.." He mumbled, wavering in uncertainty as their lips parted. The once pale macabre lord he had come to remember had vanished within those few moments his eyes were closed. The young man before him had been rejuvenated with youth and life, his skin flush with pumping blood and oxygen. Even as he was still pale and delicate,

Demyx could not deny the vitality and strength that reflected within those ashen violet eyes that had a fierce determination and a heat he had never seen. The Kelpie smiled then, dazzling Demyx from head to toe in a tingling sensation that captured his heart with a ball and chain. Damn if he was a fae; damn if it was sorcery that forced his will this way. Demyx knew what true love felt like.  
"You may call me Ienzo for now. You have gained reward enough for that..." He murmured, leaving a trail of thin kisses and an unusual moistness along his throat. Demyx's eyes tilted upwards in relish to the sensation before he spotted the ceiling of the cathedral above their heads. He made a small gasp of surprise that melted into a rather strangled but throaty moan as Ienzo made a deliberate lick over his jugular.

The sensation made his toes curl and anticipation pool like a good meal along his belly. The warmth and comfort were creating a strange chemistry within his body as his flesh began to heat and made cloths too rough to its new sensitivity. He looked down to see that the floor had transformed into a lofty surface that made better purpose for wenches and fools. Pillows had been piled from wall to wall in vast colours, shapes and sizes. Small hookahs and small glass tables with scented candles lay scattered as if a party had been arranged but the guests remained missing.

Then, as he felt a dense object nudge his toe, Demyx fell rather heavily onto a large ornate mattress. His weight carried down and he felt himself sink into what felt like dense, moist sand as some decorations took a tumble onto the plush flooring. The filling sucked him in and he felt the added weight of Ienzo confine him to the spot, warm crafty hands travelling over his shoulders, chest and abdomen. Above them appeared a silk curtain that dangled with layers, each creating another slate of colour to hide them from any prying eyes, as if there could be. Small bells appeared like garlands to hold them together, and large orbs of candlelight formed outside the tent-like creation. Demyx thought for a moment about how romantic the mood suddenly became, before his mind was once more overwhelmed by the needs of his body as Ienzo shifted his hips onto Demyx's for full contact.

The thick manhood beneath the Kelpie's various sashes teased Demyx's growing one with a promise of pleasure as he expertly ground them together, creating a thrilling shock that caused Demyx to mewl. His hands flew to Ienzo's waist and helped guide his motions into what caused the greatest friction, and the two were lost in the tides of pleasure. Soft, almost secretive sounds dribbled from Ienzo's open lips, small flashes of teeth and keen glares as Demyx swayed his head from side to side, as if imitating a rhythm. Soon Ienzo was hungrier for touch and took Demyx's head into his hands, cradling around his ears with care before pulling their faces into a tooth-meddled kiss. Tongues clashed as Demyx felt himself gasp and mewl with each successive brush.

Demyx began to worry about his meager endurance, stilling his movements for a moment in hopes of speaking out his fears. But before he could manage a word (as Ienzo was quickly becoming famous for sneaking up on him this way), his partner bit down gently upon his lower lip, eliciting a gasp and groan from Demyx. He then chuckled and swayed his hips upwards, seating quite comfortably over Demyx's concealed erection. The flesh of his ass cushioned it with a pressured warmth that had his thoughts reeling about.

"Rest assured, Guppy. I've got you." Ienzo murmured, leaning over his left to grasp at something beside the mattress before bringing a small bucket of candle wax to his face. The contents had a slick, lavender scented oil that was hypnotizing to the senses, yet viscous enough to be a good lubricant. Ienzo placed it on Demyx's chest, which he quickly grasped without much thought. He watched in a blinking daze as Ienzo sauntered upwards, shimmying his hips in a teasing, sensual rhythm as he relieved himself of his cloths. Carelessly the garments were tossed aside, and Demyx had a painting to treasure.

Ienzo's form was thin and lithe, reminding him of the tenderness of a woman. But the strength in the muscles of his biceps and thighs, not to mention the proud penis standing erect from his pelvis demanded the masculinity he deserved. The small dark lavender blue tufts over his groin seemed almost cute as Ienzo's fingers trailed through them, perhaps an attempt at being seductive? Demyx couldn't help but grin up at his partner, eager for his attention to return as he waggled his eyebrows.

"You going to be there all night, or will you come back to me?" He challenged, placing the pot at his side and using his free hands to call Ienzo back to him. Nothing felt wrong about this any longer. Ienzo only smiled as he slid his body up against Demyx's, teasing him with small openings in his cloths. Before Demyx could do much more than grasp his shirt's hem, the entirety of his outfit suddenly ceased to be upon his body.

Blinking and giving a small look around, he spotted them on the floor of the mattress in a neat pile. Ienzo crawled the rest of the way against him, bumping their penises together in a teasing brushing motion. The friction was so shocking that Demyx grabbed onto them both without thinking, and groaned at the warmth of his own hand.  
Ienzo responded in kind, using his blunt fingernails to trail marks up and down Demyx's exposed chest as he pressed his pelvis even closer. The sensations imprinted themselves within Demyx's mind over and over, pumping the pleasure of the act even deeper into his subconscious. He felt a warm tightness forming in his groin, a sign he assumed meant his reaching climax, and stopped.

"Ienzo, I won't last much.."

"I know." Ienzo cut him off, reaching over for the little pot that had tipped over during the little bout of foreplay. Ienzo delved his fingers into the mess and brought them to his behind, smearing himself slick with the now gel-like product. Demyx could only chew his lips as he watched the scene, feeling mentally aroused by the sight of Ienzo squirming and fighting to pleasure himself. Next he could only groan as he had to hold himself still, Ienzo scooping another dollop of the stuff and smearing it along his erection. The feeling was even odder as he felt the difference between the luke-warm product and Ienzo's palm. It wasn't long before Ienzo let go, and grabbed onto Demyx's thighs to hold himself up.

"Ready, Guppy..?" He teased, taking a moment to align his entrance with Demyx's penis before sinking down upon it. Demyx could only groan, pleasure unlike anything he'd ever felt before slithering down his thighs and over his skin like static. The heat of being so close to another being and being united with them had never been so apparently different, and Demyx could only unleash sounds of desire and hunger. The sensation pooling into his groin was ready to burst, and Demyx did not question the passion behind Ienzo's sudden movements. The grinding he started was a perfect rhythm that got Demyx's instincts into overdrive, and the two bodies did their best to align their timing.

The noises they made together was a wonderful melody that Demyx hoped to never forget, grunting and groaning as the tip of his penis was squeezed and brushed upon in alternating motions, driving his senses to the edge. His nails dug into Ienzo's hips and arms as his hands roamed the young, powerful body below him. He thought of the stallions and colts he'd seen at a local farm, the tense tightness in their muscles a likeness to Ienzo's. He thought of the annual flower festival in town, and how the scents of the bouquets could not match the smell of this very moment, the passion for sexual pleasure between two people.

The moment Ienzo leaned down to sink his teeth onto Demyx's jugular did Demyx's libido finally give out, a strangled, pleased cry escaping his scratched throat as he held Ienzo in place, thrusting upwards as the coil burst, his seed rushing up and into the young body above him. The feeling of placing this kind of claim made the feeling even stronger as he held Ienzo into an embrace, shuddering as Ienzo gave his own cry and climaxed. The splatter wasn't unwelcome, as it seemed to disappear moments after it settled. Both panted heavily with exertion, and Ienzo hesitated only a few moments before collapsing against his lover. They breathed in and out, slowing the pounding of their hearts as the inhaled the scent of the act they had committed. Demyx was the happiest he'd ever felt with another person, and he could not help himself as he nuzzled his nose into Ienzo's hair, smelling the tiniest imprint he has left upon him.

It was not long however, before Ienzo grunted and shifted trying to get up. Demyx reluctantly let go, keeping his hands upon his partner, heart laced with some worry. Was there supposed to be some sort of resistance at the time of entry? He didn't know enough about these kinds of things to know any better, and so he bit at his lip as Ienzo dramatically lifted his head to make eye contact. The gleam in his eyes were mischievous, playful, and worried. He made a smug shift of his shoulders, taking upon the persona once more that he was indeed a fae. A fae with whom Demyx just had had sex with. Oops.

"You seemed to enjoy that a lot more than I had expected, Guppy."

"It's Demyx." He corrected, before realising the mistake in his actions. For certain now, the Kelpie will be able to use Demyx's name against him. Why are you such an idiot?!? He thought, scolding himself as Ienzo's teeth seemed to glint in the strange light.

"Well Demyx, Guppy." He pressed, showing his preference to the new nickname. "I like you. Let's keep in touch then, hm?" Then, as if the entire thing had never happened, Demyx and Ienzo were back how they had been in the library with the waterfall. Fully dressed and without a sign that anything had transpired prior, Ienzo was comfortably seated with the enormous tome upon his lap once more.

"W-wait, what do you mean?" Demyx cried, running towards Ienzo and grabbing tight hold to the armchair. Ienzo gave him a knowing look, a smug sly grin that told Demyx that he already knew the answer.

"If you ever wish to see me again, come by the river. You know hold a safe version of my name." All too quickly, Demyx noticed the water had stopped falling, and that the swirling darkness above them had begun to vanish, allowing light to shine right through. The books began to shimmer and glisten before they vanished, allowing light to shine through from behind them. It was blinding compared to the dim atmosphere from before, and Demyx lifted his arm to hide his sensitive eyes. He heard a chuckle beside his ear as wind blasted past him in earnest.

"Don't forget, Demyx.." And with a gusting howl Demyx was knocked off his feet. A sucking sound made itself apparent before a thunderous clap had Demyx's ears ringing. Then, through the stillness, Demyx could pick out the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds, and the lazy drift of the calm river. Slowly opening his eyes, Demyx could pick out forms, before his present location became evident. He was back by the riverside where the entire incident had occurred. Demyx cast a glance at his unconscious brother, who seemed to not have moved since and was breathing quietly.

He lifted himself up, and gave a harsh whistle to call their steeds back. Dusting off his still damp pants, he wandered over and shook Roxas' shoulder, rousing him. The young prince gave a severe groan that spoke volumes about his condition. He was still suffering from the near drowning. He coughed and spat some water before locking eyes with his elder brother.

"Demyx..? Thank heavens..! You have been." Coughing shuddered from his worn lungs before he could look up again, and Demyx patted him helpfully on the back. Through tearing eyes, Roxas smiled and grabbed heavily onto Demyx's arm. "You were spared, Brother..!" The smile that formed on his face was the most reassuring thing Demyx had ever seen. They had been spared. Demyx swallowed a pebble the size of his secret; he knew why they were spared. But he could not share it with his brother, not now nor ever.

"Yes, we have survived. Now come on, we must return to the castle." Looking about, Demyx measured the angle of the sun and estimated that about five minutes seemed to have passed between the moment he had been taken under and then freed. Roxas shuddered and laughed, struggling to stand upright. With a strong tug, Demyx had him balanced on his feet again as their steeds trotted up to them.

"But Demyx, what about your desire to escape the castle for a while?" Roxas murmured, rubbing a sore spot on his left shoulder. Demyx dressed at Mariweather as Arigenal came back and nuzzled his master.

"This experience has toughened my will. I may not wish for marriage, but it is my birthright and duty. I may only escape for this little while." He murmured playfully, running his fingers through his mare's mane. I may be trapped into a marriage I can never be happy with, but now I have my won escape. She huffed softly, flicking her ears in delight. The intelligent brown eyes watched his own for a moment before nickering. Roxas laughed, interacting with his own horse before he steadily mounted it. Arigenal shifted for a moment, hoofs clopping unevenly until he was satisfied and balanced.

"If you say so Demyx. I'm feeling much better, and I think another round of hunting would be best to sooth our souls from this incident. First one to shoot a thrush wins!" Roxas then kicked his heels back, and Arigenal howled loudly, wind milling his hooves before taking off at a racing pace.

"Hey Roxas! Wait! Damnit." Demyx was laughing as he mounted his steed, grinning as he prepared to take off after his brother. He steadied himself, and spotted a dark shadow in the water. A tense feeling gripped his chest until he made out the details of the armour, staring up at him from beneath the waves. The helmet glimmered, and Demyx swears he saw a satisfied smile gleam up at him from golden teeth. He knew it was a marker for him to return to, and the small trinkling feeling of dread had vanished. Demyx hoped his next visit wouldn't mean another attempted drowning.  
"Ride, Mariweather!" He shouted, kicking his heels in and following in hot pursuit his brother. The wind through his hair was invigorating, and the smell of water filled his senses. Until next time, Ienzo. He promised to return sometime soon.


End file.
